This was Boston Children’s sixth year in a row as a winner, offering an excellent opportunity to increase awareness of the hospital while boosting its brand.

“For our extraordinary team, this ranking is a badge of honor for the limitless dedication, imagination and compassion they bring to everything they do,” said Kevin B. Churchwell, MD, the hospital’s president and COO, in a news release. “It’s their unyielding commitment to finding answers to the toughest questions for patients and families that continues to make Boston Children’s the best pediatric hospital in the country.”

Boston Children’s also ranked second overall in a pair on specialties (neonatology, diabetes and endocrinology) and third in another (pulmonology and lung surgery). The hospital was chosen fourth-best in gastroenterology and GI surgery, along with fifth in cardiology and heart surgery.

“It’s a tribute to the (physicians), nurses, researchers and so many other staff whose exceptional work every day is improving the health and well-being of children from around the world and around the corner,” Boston Children’s CEO Sandra L. Fenwick said.

How to get named among the top pediatric hospitals

To be nationally ranked in a specialty, according to U.S. News, a hospital “must excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients.”

Boston Children’s was rated first or second in seven of the 10 specialties, and also ranked third in pulmonology and lung surgery, fourth in gastroenterology and GI surgery, and fifth in cardiology and heart surgery.

The 13th annual pediatric rankings recognized the nation’s top 50 healthcare facilities. U.S. News prepared its rankings by studying clinical data from nearly 200 hospitals surveyed and reputation data from a survey sent to 15,000 physicians who specialize in pediatric care.

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) ranked second overall in the U.S. News Honor Roll, which recognizes the top 10 nationally.

CHOP was the nation’s top pediatric hospital in both the diabetes and endocrinology specialty and gastroenterology and GI surgery, and it ranked second in three specialties:

Neurology and neurosurgery

Pulmonology and lung surgery

Urology

The Philadelphia facility was third nationally in orthopedics and neonatology, while placing fourth in the nephrology rankings.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, tied for third in the national Honor Roll.

Cincinnati Children’s two No. 3 rankings were in gastroenterology and GI surgery, and nephrology. It also placed No. 4 in:

Neonatology

Neurology and neurosurgery

Orthopedics

Pulmonology and lung surgery

Urology

The highest ranking for Texas Children’s was No. 1 in the pulmonology and lung surgery, and gastroenterology and GI surgery specialties. The facility also placed high in nephrology (No. 2), gastroenterology and GI surgery (No. 2), cancer (No. 3) and neurology and neurosurgery (No. 3).

At No. 5 in the Honor Roll was Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The facility earned No. 4 rankings in two specialties — cardiology and heart surgery, and diabetes and endocrinology. In addition, the hospital earned a No. 5 ranking in orthopedics.

The remaining top pediatric hospitals in the Honor Roll included:

No. 6: Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

No. 7: Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

No. 8: UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

No. 9: Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Baltimore

No. 10: Seattle Children’s Hospital

Other No. 1 specialty rankings were earned by Children’s National Medical Center (neonatology).

The rankings, according to U.S. News, are designed to “offer guidance to parents seeking the best place for their very sick child,” wrote Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis, in an online report.

Heather Cygan

Heather Cygan is a senior marketing strategist. She was named among the 2018 Top Women in Healthcare Marketing by Digital Megaphone. The recognition honors the work of female marketers leading the way in the healthcare industry. Heather has been developing healthcare content for more than 10 years and has a bachelors of arts degree in journalism from Eastern Illinois University. Connect with and follow her on LinkedIn.